Chapter 11 Hei, the Empire's Most Wanted
The towering walls of the capital look like the stands supporting between the heaven from the grounds of earth. The swarthy color of the material gives everyone the feeling that the walls are made of steel instead of stones. The spiritless soldiers under the gate cannot deny the majestic appearance of the city itself.
From the upcoming citizens of this city, the market places are crowded with overwhelmingly unique products for the boy from the village. Sensing for potential danger around the area, Hei carefully observes the environment around him, while Tatsumi…
"Woahhhh! So, this is the capital! It looks so awesome!"
Is that the natural reaction to a large city from someone who has never seen one in his life? Even if this is his first time, the reaction of Tatsumi is quickly making him looking like a complete idiot. Even Hei decides to turn around and fix his glasses, as if the glasses can reflect all the distain from the eyes of the crowd.
Calmly focusing on the city wall, Hei takes out another apple from his bag, and starts to inspect the posters on the side of the wall.
Empire's Most Wanted!
That man on the picture looks a bit like Hei…
Looking at where Hei is observing, Tatsumi also saw the picture. Turning his head, he discreetly compares Hei's looks and the picture on the wall.
"Hei! Come and look at… Mmmph…"
Emotionlessly gagging Tatsumi with his left hand, Hei takes a bite from the apple in his right hand.
"Only your misconception."
"Mmmph?!"
Hei takes off his left hand.
"Oh… um… okay… That makes sense… You are not even from the capital… and I guess it's quite impossible to know the most wanted criminal as the first person you met in the city…"
Shrugging his shoulders, Tatsumi looks unsatisfied toward Hei's reaction to his supposed humor.
"So… let's go."
Hei walks to the apathetic gate guard, and takes out a small bag of coins from his side pocket.
"Would you please tell me who this man is?" Hei points to the wanted poster on the side of the wall.
"Hmm? What? Go away! I don't have time and energy to…"
The impatient was going to kick this young man out of his way, but then he noticed the small bag inside Hei's hand… After considerately taking in the small amount of bribe, the soldier starts to tell the stories of the man on the wanted poster.
"That man? He is the criminal legend living in the Elder Basin. The story says that he used only five hundred soldiers to slaughter more than thirteen thousand empire troops. Everyone is talking about him these days… Did you see the amount of prize on his head? I wish I can offer some information about him or even catch him alive… That way, I would not need to be a stupid gate guard anymore for the rest of my life…"
"…"
After listening to the story about himself, Hei turns around and walks into the capital with Tatsumi by his side. It is obvious that the security system of the capital is not so great, because the Empire's Most Wanted just walked passed the guards with a small bag of coins.
"Hei, why did you come to the capital?" distracted by the large number of people on the streets, Tatsumi already forgot that the man next to him is not good at communications.
"My reasons."
There's the monotone again.
"Um…so…um… I think we can call each other a friend, right?"
Where does Tatsumi gain the intelligence or courage to say that? The man next to him has not answer a single question with a thorough explanation, and Tatsumi is already trying to call him a friend?
"…"
Of course, there is no answer. Hei observes the young boy on his left side again, and continues to walk forward with his emotionless expression.
"Why do I sense such coldness in this crowded city…"
Tatsumi is feeling terrible right now.
"I, Tatsumi, came to the capital to save my village with my two friends!" He forces a smile to the hanging sun in the cloudless sky.
"The brighter the sun, the darker the shadow. You have just arrived into this unfamiliar environment, and you have already made a conclusion regarding it with such imprudence. I suppose this can only be classified as the inferiority of the human mind."
…
Looks like Tatsumi is going to have an unforgettable adventure.